A Wonderful B&B in Donegal

In July we ventured into the northern part of Ireland with friends to see the Donegal-Sligo area for the first time. We are big fans of Ireland in general, and we still can't understand what took us so long to get up there, but it was definitely worth the wait.


The entire area is a wealth of beauty and history, and our stay at the Ard na Breatha Guesthouse (B&B) and Restaurant not only proved to be the perfect location from which to explore the region but also a great complement to the area.

We enjoyed three evening meals there (all wonderful!) and the impeccable service offered by this small, family-owned establishment. The guest rooms were quite comfortable and situated in a converted old barn building adjacent to the main house. It is an altogether pleasant and enjoyable place to stay.

Not much more that I can say other than to see their website, which gives much more details than I can and is from my experience 100% correct.

Review: Mercure Albrighton Hall & Spa

We recently stayed at the Mercure Albrighton Hall & Spa, near Shrewsbury, and it was a really nice experience.

We were welcomed by a friendly staff upon arrival who attended to our every need. The rooms were large and airy, and the facilities were very cordial all around. Our meals were excellent and again served in an efficient and friendly atmosphere. The hotel is actually a 300+ old stately manor house which has been gracefully converted and sits on beautiful grounds. It is about 3 miles from Shrewsbury town centre, so a car is definitely recommended. There is a car park on site just steps from the main entrance. Overall an excellent hotel and highly recommended

Don't rely strictly upon your GPS to find the hotel. Ours took us through a somewhat convoluted but senic route. A call to the hotel for exact directions is definitely recommended.

Mercure Albrighton Hall & Spa
Ellesmere Road
Shrewsbury SY4 3AG

A Feast for the Eyes and the Soul

The Royal Academy of the Arts has once again created a dynamite exhibition. "J. W Waterhouse - The Modern Pre-Raphaelite" is a sight to behold. The color, the romance, the poetry and sheer beauty of this exhibition are difficult to put into words. We have not seen as comprehensive and well organized collection of the Pre-Raphaelite work since the Academy displayed Andrew Lloyd Webber's collection several years ago. Waterhouse's paintings have been gathered to demonstrate the evolution of his work.

This is the largest retrospective of Waterhouse mounted in Britain to date. Born in Rome to British parents, one sees his admiration for classical antiquity in his early work. Scenes from ancient Rome fill the display room with color and detail that only someone of Waterhouse's caliber can accomplish. In describing the exhibit as a "modern" pre-Raphaelite, the Academy said it best, that he "...more than any artist of his generation, unified the immediacy of French naturalist techniques with the Romantic imagination encapsulated in the words of Shakespeare, Tennyson and Keats...".

As we move through the exhibition we go from the classical Roman pieces to the works that encompass the Greek myths as told by Homer, Ovid and other poets. We see life depicted from Greek, Roman and early Christian history to scenes from mythology and romantic literature. But in all of his pictures we see his ideal of female beauty with subtle references to the knowledge, intuition and special powers that women possess. Some of his tranquil paintings of women in natural settings capture an ethereal quality all it's own.

One of Waterhouse's greatest pieces, St. Cecilia is here to admire. It is the piece that secured his election as one of the 40 'full' Royal Academician. But whichever piece you view, you are looking at vivid colors, beautiful subjects and unique stories. A more romantic set of paintings could not be found. So if you are ready to spend an afternoon drinking in sheer beauty and romance, this is the place to go, see "J. W. Waterhouse - The Modern Pre-Raphaelite". 27 June-13 September 2009.

Foynes International Aviation Festival

Join us in Ireland the 2nd week of July for the Foynes International Aviation Festival, celebrating the 70th anniversary of the first passenger flight across the Atlantic.

We will also be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the opening of Foynes Flying Boat Museum. The museum is located in Foynes, County Limerick, just 35km out the N69 from Limerick City. It is a lovely area and the museum, home of the world's only full size replica of a Boeing 314 Clipper, is not to be missed.

You can learn more about the museum at www.flyingboatmuseum.com.

La Villa Marbella

If you are looking for a respite in Spain, Marbella could be the place for you. Having last visited there 10 years ago, we were anxious to see how it had changed. Going to our favorite hotel site, Booking.com we wanted a place conveniently located with some charm and personality. La Vllla Marbella filled the bill. What a beautiful find in the historic old town. A hallmark of these little old town areas in Andalusia are the multi-level homes with patios. And the crowning glory of each home is a premiere patio on the roof. The Villa had all of the above. This little boutique hotel is made up of 17 rooms spread across multiple homes.

We knew we were going to enjoy it when our taxi, meandered slowly through the narrow streets coming to a halt in front of a wall of purple bougainvillea. Looking up we saw the little potted plants under the name La Villa Marbella. The heavy Spanish wooden door opened to welcome us into a quaint home with the friendliest innkeepers, Marcos by day and Boli by night. We selected our breakfast menu for the next day and were told to come back to this location for breakfast between 8:30 and 11:30 at the rooftop breakfast patio, very civilized.

Then we were off to our room down the street in another little house called The Cottage. Upon opening the door, we saw a small kitchen followed by a cozy lounge complete with fireplace. The decorating was Asian/Moorish. Leaving the lounge we stepped into a lovely courtyard with flowers spilling over their boxes on the way up the winding stairs. And there we were at Datai, our room, with a beamed ceiling, air conditioning, a king size bed, night stands, a wardrobe and bathroom complete with a roomy shower. As we entered we looked over our shoulders and found that continuing up the stairs led to our own cozy rooftop patio with views of the local church steeple. This was a great place for a quiet read, a catch up on email or just relaxing in the great outdoors.

Morning found us returning to reception and up the winding stairs to the rooftop patio. Here we had a small feast awaiting us, fruit, cereal, croissants, warm baguettes with Spanish ham and fresh orange juice with coffee. The rooftop had an abundance of plant life with intimate tables and a cozy sofa section with material swagged across the ceiling, giving it an exotic air.

Needless to say, we felt at home here and enjoyed the convenient proximity to shops, restaurants, the beach and local activities. The staff was very attentive and most willing to help make our stay the best it could be. They were happy to look into opening times for sites, arranging transportation and suggesting great places to eat. The next time we head for the Costa del Sol, heading to La Villa Marbella will be like going to our second home.

Jewels of Andalusia

We have always enjoyed our trips to Andalusia, Spain. The 3 great cities of Andalusia are Seville, Granada and Cordoba. Of all the cities we have toured in Spain, Seville has always been a favorite, so in the back of our minds, Granada and Cordoba were calling for equal time. Staying in Marbella, we booked a tour to Granada through The Savvy Traveler.

Granada is the home to the Alhambra Palace and the Generalife Gardens, a UNESCO world heritage site. With an average of 7,800 visitors per day, this is one of the most popular places to visit in Spain. To handle this traffic, only so many tickets a day are permitted and the visitors go in by timed entry. Many prospective visitors have found themselves disappointed by simply showing up to learn that, even after standing in long queues, tickets are sold out for that day. Taking a tour is your best way to guarantee your entry and eliminate long waiting lines.

And you will be glad you came. The Alhambra Palace is exquisite. The Moorish architecture with detailed designs, colorful tile and symbolism galore are an incredible site to behold. Our guide through the Alhambra was very knowledgeable and gave us a very complete tour. Including the beautiful Generalife Gardens, the tour lasted 3 hours. Afterward we had a relaxing lunch with time to further explore the city of Granada.

That went so well that we booked another day in the 3rd city of Andalusia, Cordoba. Here we visited two interesting sites, the Mezquita or Cathedral of Cordoba and the Viana Palace. The Cathedral has a long history, beginning as a church and then razed in 785 AD to be re-built as a Mosque. But this was not just any Mosque - it was the most important sanctuary of Western Islam. The massive structure is filled with colorful details and designs that are simply awesome. Perhaps because of it's grand beauty, when the Christians regained control in 1236, it was converted back to a church but within the mosque. The result is an outstanding blend of architecture from the two great religions. The individually designed chapels and the main chapel, transept and choir are all works of art.

To get another view of life in Cordoba, head to the Palace of Viana. Here you can tour a 14th century palace complete with 13 courtyards or patios. Each courtyard is unique and the gardens are lovely. The Palace is furnished with antiques, porcelains and works of art. There is a tour for each section and you get a feel for the aristocratic life.

So if you find yourself in the Costa del Sol, be sure to visit these memorable cities. While there, you may also want to check some other tours, including Seville and a trip to the picturesque little hill town of Ronda and the Tajo Gorge.

Clear ceases operations

US-based "Clear", a security vetting service in use in a number of major US airports, has announced that it is ceasing operations:

"At 11:00 p.m. PST on June 22, 2009, Clear will cease operations. Clear's parent company, Verified Identity Pass, Inc. has been unable to negotiate an agreement with its senior creditor to continue operations."

Blogger, Grant Martin, said, "It's always sad to see a company fail, but in this case, it seems a bit more personal. Taking part in a review of the service earlier this year I distinctly remember meeting the Logan employees and writing about the experience. I wonder what they'll do now?"

His feelings were no doubt echoed by many Clear subscribers who found the service convenient and friendly, a welcome change from the usual gruff TSA approach. For an annual subscription fee of $138 (about €100), Clear travellers were treated to fast and secure identification that allowed them to bypass long queues and be processed by special TSA lanes. In peak times, the security transit could be reduced from an hour or more to under 10 minutes.

Recent expansion meant the addition and added expense of new equipment and employees at a number of airports. Many had hoped to see the service expanded even further, but today's announcement seems to spell the unfortunate end of a good idea that for whatever reason just could not make it in today's tough economic climate.

Benjamin Franklin's London House

We've just returned from London tonight where we spent an amazing afternoon touring the Benjamin Franklin House. This fledgling museum was home to Benjamin Franklin for his entire 16 years in London. Because of Mr. Franklin's critical role as a diplomat, it has been referred to as America's First Embassy in Great Britain.

Benjamin Franklin was always one of my personal historical heroes. I admire the way he achieved a balance in his life between his role as a diplomat and his great curiosity for science. Although he was unable to achieve his greatest challenge, that of preventing war between Great Britain and the American Colonies, his influence nevertheless helped forge the unbreakable bond between the two countries which has flourished since.

As to the museum itself, there are a number of interesting exhibits including the history of the house itself, but the innovative tour, dubbed a "Historical Experience" made our day one of the most unique museum visits we have ever had. It was led by Polly Hewson, daughter of Franklin's landlady who became a 'second daughter' to Franklin. As Polly, played by Ms. Katheryn Sharrat, led us from room to room, it seemed that every door opened to facts we had not known about the great man. And through Ms. Sharrat's dramatic interpretation of her role, one could almost feel the emotion that must have been present when Mr. Franklin was in residence. There can be no question that Ms. Sharrat is destined for much wider audiences, so if you are interested in the life of Benjamin Franklin, see this museum quickly so you can still enjoy her performance.

This is a museum that deserves our support. We will be doing so and hope that many of you do so as well. There is so much more that can be done to make this history come alive, but even today it is an experience not to be missed.

To learn more about the Benjamin Franklin House, please visit their website at: www.benjaminfranklinhouse.org.